Conventionally well known is a card reader that reads magnetic information recorded in a card and also records magnetic information into a card (For example, refer to Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2). A card reader of Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 includes a card insertion slot for inserting a card, a card transfer path for transferring the inserted card, and a magnetic head for reading magnetic information of the card that is placed in the card transfer path so as to be transferred, and for recording magnetic information into the card being transferred.
A card reader described in Patent Document 1 includes a magnetic head, and the card reader reads and records magnetic information by using the one and only magnetic head. Meanwhile, a card reader described in Patent Document 2 includes two reading magnetic heads for reading magnetic information and two recording magnetic heads for recording magnetic information.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H07-334629
Patent Document 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H07-29298
Usually, most of higher-level devices, in which a card reader is installed, carry out only reading magnetic information of a card inserted. However, in the card reader of either of Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, a recording magnetic head is placed in a card transfer path. Therefore, even in a case where only reading operation for magnetic information is carried out, the card inevitably contacts the recording magnetic head. As a result, there rises a problem that the recording magnetic head becomes worn away despite a low frequency of recording operation for magnetic information.
Thus, there is a need for a card processing device in which abrasion and damage to a recording means can be suppressed.